Squirrel Pies
User Reviews
4.8
33 reviews
Excellent
Squirrel Pies
Report
There are a number of hacks and subs you can do here. First, you can use any white meat for the filling. Rabbit, turkey, pheasant, quail, partridge and yes, chicken would all be fine. Next, you can skip the acorn flour and just use a whole wheat or some other darkish flour your like. Third, you can use regular walnuts for the black walnuts... or use whatever nut makes you happy.
Share:
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1/2 cup acorn flour
- 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour, or regular AP flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup duck fat, lard, butter or shortening
FILLING
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat
- 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
- 1 cup minced yellow or white onion
- 3/4 pound shredded and chopped squirrel meat
- 1 cup diced apple, peeled and cored (I use Granny Smiths)
- 1/2 cup toasted, chopped black walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon Cavender's seasoning, or black pepper
- 1/2 cup warm stock, squirrel, chicken or something light
- 2 teaspoons sorghum syrup or molasses
- 1 cup shredded gruyere, emmental or jarlsberg cheese (optional)
Add to Shopping List
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH
- Mix the flours, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a small pot, heat the milk until it's steaming, then turn off the heat. Stir in the fat until it's mostly melted in; a few bits that aren't melted are fine.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry with a fork until it's a shaggy mass. Knead this all together until you have a smooth ball, then shape it into a cylinder. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
MAKE THE FILLING
- Heat the bacon fat in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the cabbage and onions. Saute until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Salt this as it cooks. Add the squirrel meat, apple, walnuts and Cavender's seasoning (or black pepper), stir well and cook for a few minutes.
- Stir the sorghum syrup in with the stock until combined, then pour this into the pan with everything else. Stir this well and let it cook another few minutes so the ingredients absorb the liquid. Turn off the heat and let the filling cool.
MAKE THE PIES
- If you have a tortilla press, get it out and cut a heavy plastic bag apart to make two plastic sheets that you'll use to keep the dough off the metal of the press. If you don't have a press, lay out a work space and flour it well.
- Cut the dough into anywhere between 8 and 10 pieces, trying to keep them about the same size. Put half the pieces back in the fridge. Roll a piece into a flat, disc and set it on a piece of plastic on the press. Put the other piece of plastic over it and squash the dough into a thin disc. I find that I do one squeeze, then adjust the dough so it's perfectly centered in the tortilla press. If you don't have a press, roll the dough balls into flat discs about 1/8 of an inch thick.
- Remove the dough from the plastic and put about 1/4 cup of filling on one side of the disc. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top if you'd like. Fold over the dough to make a half-moon and seal. Crimp the edges with a fork and set on a floured baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Bake at 400F for 25 minutes. Move to a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before you eat them. Best served hot, but they'll keep for a week or so in the fridge and are pretty good cold, too.
Notes
- NOTE: I start with meat shredded off squirrels used in making stock. You can do this, or braise squirrels in salty water until tender, or you can just cut meat off the bones of raw squirrels and chop that up. All methods will work.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
423kcal
(21%)
Carbohydrates
28g
(9%)
Protein
19g
(38%)
Fat
27g
(42%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Cholesterol
71mg
(24%)
Sodium
436mg
(18%)
Potassium
343mg
(10%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
502IU
(10%)
Vitamin C
5mg
(6%)
Calcium
223mg
(22%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 9pies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 423 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 423kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 28g | 9% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 71mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 436mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 343mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 502IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 223mg | 22% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
33 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
